English LCCC Newsbulletin For
Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For May 21/2023
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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15 آذار/2023
Bible Quotations For today
I give you a new commandment, that you love
one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this
everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’
John 13/31-35: “When he had gone out, Jesus said,
‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If
God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will
glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You
will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am
going, you cannot come.”I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone
will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’”
.
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on May 20-21/2023
Amer
Fakhoury Foundation: The presence of Syria and the Assad regime at the Arab
Summit was disappointing
Salameh reiterates that he will appeal Interpol notice
Mikati urges Arabs to help Lebanese engage in dialogue
The Interpol saga: Governor's red notice, legal battles, and leadership dilemma
Al-Mawlawi: security apparatuses are conducting intelligence efforts to prevent
drug industry expansion in Lebanon
Prime Minister Mikati stresses the importance of reconnecting Lebanon with the
Arab world
Mikati deems Syria's return to Arab League a "relief factor" for Lebanon,
appeals to Arab brothers to sponsor a kind of Lebanese-Lebanese dialogue
Taymour Jumblatt: For electing a president, not drowning in expectations
Choucair launches "Kulluna Li Beirut" gathering: Restoring balance to Lebanon
inevitably involves a return to the Arab embrace
Interior Minister on combating Captagon: We fight smuggling at all border
facilities
Mufti Derian says Arab solidarity with Lebanon stimulates the election of a
president
Bou Saab after meeting Geagea: We held a positive meeting, another one to be
scheduled soon
Prescription plight: Soaring prices, illicit trade, and unapproved medications
in
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on May 20-21/2023
Arab League
Jeddah summit’s final declaration emphasizes unity of stance on issues of
security and stability
Iran says it executes leader of women trafficking network
G7 slams China 'militarization' in Asia-Pacific, urges it to 'press Russia'
G7 Aligns on Shared ‘De-risk, Not Decouple’ Approach to China
EU includes 90 companies around the world in 11th sanctions package against
Russia
Ukrainian army spokesman denies that Russian forces have taken control of
Bakhmut, confirms that fighting is still going on
Russia’s Lavrov Says G7 Is Bent on ‘Double Containment’ of Russia and China
US helping Kyiv get F-16s shows that for military aid, 'no' can become 'yes'
With Zelensky invite, KSA seeks star turn on world stage
Spotlight on Zelensky: G7 Summit unites against Russia and grapples with China's
influence
Ukraine's Zelenskiy courts 'Global South' at G7 summit
Russia's Prigozhin claims capture of Bakhmut, Ukraine says fighting goes on
Zelenskiy’s Surprise G-7 Stop Unnerves Critical Brazilian Leader
Exploding underwater drone set to be unleashed against Russian Navy
Airstrikes hit Khartoum’s outskirts as Sudan’s war enters sixth week
Titles For
The Latest
English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on May 20-21/2023
The Biden Administration’s Legacy: Iranian Regime Armed with Unlimited
Nuclear Bombs/Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute./May 20, 2023
Arab League Jeddah summit can be the platform to resolve many Arab crises/Dr.
Abdellatif El-Menawy/Arab News/May 20/2023
Arab League unity brings hope for Syria’s regeneration/Dr. Bashayer Al-Majed/Arab
News/May 20/2023
There should be zero tolerance for hostage takers/Alistair Burt/Arab News/May
20/2023
Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on May 20-21/2023
Amer Fakhoury Foundation: The
presence of Syria and the Assad regime at the Arab Summit was disappointing
May 20/2023
The presence of Syria and the Assad regime at the Arab Summit was disappointing,
especially with all the hostages and illegal detainees present in Syria. The
Arab community welcomed a regime that has tortured and kidnapped innocent
individuals from around the world, including Lebanon.
The Lebanese government under control of Hezbollah welcomed the Assad regime and
completely ignored the families of Lebanese hostages that to this day do not
know if their loved ones are alive.
Salameh reiterates that he will appeal Interpol notice
Associated Press/May 20, 2023
Embattled Central Bank Governor Riad Salameh has reiterated that he intends to
appeal an Interpol notice issued for him after he failed to show up in Paris
earlier this week for questioning in a key corruption case. In remarks to the
Associated Press, Salameh argued that he did not receive the summons for
questioning in Paris in person, “according to the rules and laws.”The Central
Bank returned the summons, which had arrived while Salameh was absent from the
bank, according to judicial officials. “I am introducing an appeal to cancel the
notice,” Salameh told the AP. France, Germany, and Luxembourg are investigating
Salameh and associates over myriad financial crimes, including illicit
enrichment and the laundering of $330 million. A French investigative judge on
Tuesday issued an international arrest warrant for Salameh after he did not
answer summons for questioning in Paris. Lebanon is unlikely to comply with the
Interpol notice and arrest and hand over Salameh to French authorities. Under
the country's laws, Lebanon does not extradite its own citizens. Interpol listed
Salameh's notice on its website, adding that he is wanted by France for
“criminal conspiracy with intent to commit offenses punishable by ten years of
prison”, “organized money laundering”, and aggravated tax fraud. Salameh denies
allegations of corruption, and maintains that he amassed his wealth through his
previous job as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch, inherited properties, and
investments. He said he would only resign if convicted of a crime. The
72-year-old governor has held his post for almost 30 years, but says he intends
to step down after his current term ends in July. The three European governments
in March 2022 froze over $130 million in assets linked to the probe. During a
visit to Lebanon in March, the European delegation questioned Salameh about the
Lebanese central bank’s assets and investments outside the country, a Paris
apartment — which the governor owns — and his brother Raja Salameh’s brokerage
firm Forry Associates Ltd. Once hailed as the guardian of Lebanon’s financial
stability, Salameh since late 2019 has been heavily blamed for Lebanon’s
financial meltdown. Many say he precipitated the economic crisis, which has
plunged three-quarters of Lebanon’s population of 6 million into poverty.
Mikati urges Arabs to help Lebanese engage in dialogue
Naharnet/May 20, 2023
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Saturday lamented that the Lebanese
“have not helped each other.”“We need dialogue … and had the Lebanese helped
each other, they would have been able to pick a president,” Mikati said in an
interview with the Al-Arabiya and the Al-Hadath TV networks following his
participation in the Jeddah Arab Summit. “I call on the Arab brothers to help
Lebanon establish domestic dialogue … and Lebanon needs economic support from
its Arab brothers,” Mikati added. “If Lebanon had a president, its situation
would have been much better,” the premier said. He added: “We don’t need a new
Taif (Accord), we need to continue the implementation of the ‘old Taif’. Lebanon
has been and is still ill and it needs the Arab brothers to recover.”Mikati also
pointed out that “any political agreement in the region will necessarily reflect
on Lebanon.”
The Interpol saga: Governor's red notice,
legal battles, and leadership dilemma
LBCI/May 20, 2023
fficially, the name of the Governor of the Central Bank, Riad Salameh, was
circulated on the Interpol website as wanted by the French judiciary. When the
memorandum was circulated via the red notice, Salameh announced that he would
appeal the decision. His legal representatives in France are in the process of
filing an appeal against the notice. The appeal will be based on the violation
committed by the French judge, Aude Buresi, by issuing the notice before
officially notifying Salameh, whether directly or by affixing it. Did Buresi
have any other option? According to the head of the Justicia Foundation, Paul
Morcos, Buresi had two options: either to repeat the invitation to the hearing
session or to proceed with strictness, as she did, relying on the French Code of
Criminal Procedure, which allows her to issue an arrest warrant if the wanted
person resides outside the country and if the crime requires imprisonment or
more serious punishment. Does merely appealing the notice suspend its execution?
Suspending the execution of the notice requires a decision from the court
in France that is considering the appeal. So far, the Governor has openly
declared that he will not step down, and his First Deputy, Wassim Mansouri,
refuses to assume his duties. If the government decides to dismiss Salameh, who
will take his place? Article 25 of the Monetary and Credit Law is clear: in case
of vacancy, such as dismissal or resignation, only the First Deputy assumes the
responsibilities of the Governor, not the Second Deputy or the Central Council.
The final solution would be the appointment of a new Governor. Otherwise, it
would result in complete vacancy, according to the legal text, not politics.
Al-Mawlawi: security apparatuses are conducting
intelligence efforts to prevent drug industry expansion in Lebanon
LBCI/May 20, 2023
Caretaker Minister of Interior Bassam al-Mawlawi, emphasized on Saturday that
Lebanese authorities are taking proactive steps to prevent the smuggling of
Captagon from Syria to Lebanon. "With Syria's commitment to combating Captagon,
we are taking preemptive measures to prevent the establishment of factories in
Lebanon," he said during an interview with the al-Hadath channel regarding
Lebanon's plan to combat drugs. He also noted that the security apparatuses are
conducting intelligence efforts to prevent the expansion of the drug industry in
Lebanon. Al-Mawlawi stressed that they are "fighting drug smuggling at all
border facilities and will not allow Lebanon to be a transit route for drug
trafficking to neighboring countries." Al-Mawlawi affirmed that drug smugglers
have no political cover and that the security forces are fulfilling their duty
to prevent drugs from entering the country. He emphasized that the airport
security apparatus coordinates daily with the ministry, and politics does not
interfere with its work. He revealed that he oversees the operations of the
airport security apparatus.
Prime Minister Mikati stresses the importance of
reconnecting Lebanon with the Arab world
LBCI/May 20, 2023
Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati appreciated the vital role of the Arab
League Summit in Jeddah, given that it brought Arabs together on shared
interests and issues of concern to all. He expressed confidence in the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia's approach that establishes stability in the region as a whole.
In an interview on "Al Hadath," he was asked about the new approach in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he said: "I sensed through the follow-up that there
is rapid and organized work, and that the train set off towards zeroing all
problems with Arab and neighboring countries, and that the basis is human
building, stability, and economic development." In
response to a question, he said: "We need a dialogue between the Lebanese today
because the Lebanese do not help each other, and if there were agreement, we
would have elected a president. Hence my appeal to the Arab brothers to sponsor
a kind of Lebanese-Lebanese dialogue to reach stability in Lebanon and elect a
president, in addition to helping Lebanon to get out of the suffocating economic
and social crisis it is suffering from." In response to another question, he
expressed that inevitably, they will call for the election of a president, and
if there was a president and a government with full powers, and if the contract
of constitutional institutions were complete, as it should be, the Lebanese
position would be much stronger. "What is required is to complete the
president's election as soon as possible for this president to play a role in
the Arab world to restore confidence in Lebanon and reconsecrate the reality and
the Lebanese role in the Arab world," he said. He affirmed, "We have been cut
off from the Arab world in the past years, and the future president must carry
out two tasks, namely, to lead the internal reconciliation and to rebuild
bridges with all Arab countries."
Regarding the need for a "new Taif," he said, "Through my political experience,
I see that the Taif Agreement is in its natural position for Lebanon, but we
must complete its implementation. It is impossible to criticize the Taif Accord
while we have not completed its implementation, or each party is implementing it
on its whim." Regarding the changes that took place to call on the Arab
countries to change their dealings with Lebanon, he said, "Today we are in a
crisis, and we need this aid and Arab care for Lebanon and the Lebanese,
especially since Lebanon has never failed with the Arab countries and has always
been a beacon in its region and the world." Mikati confirmed that the latest
manifestations of this support took place a few days ago through the decision of
the Iraqi government to provide Lebanon with additional quantities of oil. He
added, responding to a question that Lebanon is part of the region, and the
Iranian-Saudi agreement reduces the sectarian pace, and the Saudi-Syrian
agreement reflects relief on Lebanon, especially considering the geographical
and political reality that controls the relations with Syria. The return of
Syria to the Arab League is also a relief factor for Lebanon.
On the issue of combating the smuggling of contraband into the Arab world, he
said, "We are taking all measures to combat this scourge. Before I came to
Jeddah, I held a meeting with all those concerned to complete the appropriate
procedures in this file." He concluded by saying, "We, the Lebanese, must do
what we must do in terms of internal reconciliation to keep pace with the
developments abroad. There must be an internal agreement in the interest of
Lebanon and the Lebanese first."
Mikati deems Syria's return to Arab League a
"relief factor" for Lebanon, appeals to Arab brothers to sponsor a kind of
Lebanese-Lebanese dialogue
NNA/May 20, 2023
Prime Minister Najib Mikati praised the "important role of the Arab summit that
was held in Jeddah, given that it brought Arabs together on common interests and
issues of concern to all," expressing "confidence in the Saudi Kingdom’s
approach that establishes stability in the entire region.”
Speaking in an interview with "Al-Hadath" TV Channel, Mikati said that he sensed
through his follow-up that there was quick and organized work on part of the
Kingdom, and that the train has set off towards zeroing out all problems with
the Arab and neighboring countries, on grounds of human building, stability and
economic development. Responding to a question on Lebanon, Mikati said: "We need
dialogue between the Lebanese today, because the Lebanese do not help each
other, and if agreement existed, we would have elected a president of the
republic...Therefore comes my appeal to the Arab brothers to sponsor a kind of
Lebanese-Lebanese dialogue in order to reach stability in Lebanon and elect a
president for the republic, and help Lebanon get out of the suffocating economic
and social crisis it is suffering from...”He added: “I had hoped that Arab
brethrens would have an eye on Lebanon to provide the needed assistance at this
stage to preserve the state and its institutions."Mikati reiterated the dire
need to elect a president as soon as possible so that he can play a role in the
Arab world to restore confidence in Lebanon, re-establish the Lebanese status
and role in the Arab world, lead the internal reconciliation and rebuild bridges
with all Arab countries. "We are part of the region,
and the Iranian-Saudi agreement reduces the sectarian pace, and the Saudi-Syrian
agreement relieves Lebanon, especially in light of the geographical and
political reality controlling our relations with Syria. Also, Syria's return to
the Arab League is a factor of relief for Lebanon," Mikati underlined. On the
issue of combating contraband smuggling into the Arab world, he said: "We are
taking all measures to combat this scourge. Before I came to Jeddah, I held a
meeting with all those concerned to complete the appropriate procedures in this
file."Mikati concluded, "We, as Lebanese, must do what we have to do in terms of
internal agreement, to keep pace with the developments taking place abroad.
There must be an internal agreement in the interest of Lebanon and the Lebanese
first and foremost."
Taymour Jumblatt: For electing a president, not drowning in
expectations
NNA/May 20, 2023
"Democratic Gathering" Bloc Head, MP Taymour Jumblatt, wished that the Lebanese
political forces would devote themselves to dealing with Lebanon's domestic
affairs instead of drowning in expectations, and resort to consensus that his
bloc has called for from the start in order to complete the election of a
president for the republic and launch the path of constitutional institutions in
order to begin pulling Lebanon out of the bottom of the abyss.“This requires
convergence and internal dialogue before anything else,” he stressed.
Jumblatt’s words came on the sidelines of his Saturday meetings with popular
delegations in Al-Mukhtara Palace.
Choucair launches "Kulluna Li Beirut" gathering: Restoring
balance to Lebanon inevitably involves a return to the Arab embrace
NNA/May 20, 2023
Former Minister Mohammed Choucair launched the "Kulluna Li Beirut" gathering
during a ceremony held in the Pavillon hall of the Seaside Arena complex at
Beirut’s waterfront, in presence of a large crowd of official and political
figures, religious dignitaries, economic and social leaders, and activists from
various regions. The "Kulluna Li Beirut" (We are all for Beirut) gathering is a
national political gathering whose members share the same inclusive national
ideas and principles, and constitutes wide groups of politicians and lawmen,
economic and social influencers, thinkers, businessmen, businesswomen and
activists. In his address on the occasion, Choucair said: “Our starting point is
to consolidate the Sunni moderation, raise its voice, do justice to it, and
mobilize it after all the damage and frustration that befell it, and that is
based on our firm conviction that the recovery of the country occurs first with
the recovery of all its components, without exception.”Choucair also emphasized
that "restoring balance to Lebanon inevitably involves a return to the Arab
embrace."He continued to indicate that the gathering is well aware of the
Lebanese structure, so one of its main priorities is to work on the recovery of
the inner house to mobilize its youth and society and to encourage and motivate
its people to engage in community and national life in order to secure national
balance and preserve moderation, identity, the constitution and the homeland.
“Kulluna Li Beirut gathering is viewed with high appreciation and respect
because Lebanon possesses enormous and creative human resources and capabilities
that have proven great competence in various fields and have recorded impressive
achievements at home and in the world at large, and have always been the secret
to its steadfastness and distinction and will be the pillar of its advancement
and development,” Choucair underscored. "Today is the
starting moment, the beginning of work and struggle to gather 'Kulluna Li
Beirut' and to set out in the homeland with openness and with a solid national
partnership in order to build a new Lebanon that is up to the ambition and
aspirations of every Lebanese," Choucair concluded.
Interior Minister on combating Captagon: We fight smuggling at all border
facilities
NNA/May 20, 2023
Caretaker Minister of Interior and Municipalities, Bassam Mawlawi, assured that
"the Lebanese authorities are taking proactive steps to prevent the smuggling of
Captagon from Syria to Lebanon."In an interview with "Al-Hadath" TV Channel, he
spoke about Lebanon's anti-drug plan, saying: "In light of Syria's pledge to
combat Captagon, we are carrying out preemptive operations to prevent the
establishment of factories in Lebanon, and the security services are making an
intelligence effort to prevent the expansion of the drug industry in Lebanon."He
added: "We are fighting smuggling of drugs on all border facilities, and we will
not allow Lebanon to be a corridor for smuggling drugs to brotherly
countries."Mawlawi continued to stress that "there is no political cover for
drug smugglers, and the security forces are carrying out their duty to prevent
the entry of drugs into our country."He added that "the airport security service
coordinates with the ministry on a daily basis, and politics does not
interfere," revealing that he personally supervises the work of airport
security.
Mufti Derian says Arab solidarity with Lebanon stimulates
the election of a president
LBCI/May 20, 2023
Lebanon's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdel-Latif Derian confirmed that "the unity of the
Arab position in the Jeddah Declaration gave impetus to the promotion and
development of joint Arab action that benefits the Arab peoples and contributed
to purifying the atmosphere and unifying the ranks, which will be positively
reflected on Arab and regional levels." He believed in a statement that
"overcoming Arab differences and returning solidarity to face the challenges in
the region from the dangers of the Israeli enemy to protect the right of the
Palestinian people and their return to their occupied land and the establishment
of their independent state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital." He pointed
out that "Arab solidarity with Lebanon motivates the Lebanese to elect a
president as soon as possible, especially since the country cannot stand and
continue without a president, the formation of a new government, the activation
of the work of institutions, and the return of political, economic and living
stability." Stressing that this is a collective responsibility that rests with
the representatives and officials in the country. He pointed out the importance
of the role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in supporting the nation's
issues and interests to achieve stability in the Arab arena.
Bou Saab after meeting Geagea: We held a positive meeting,
another one to be scheduled soon
LBCI/May 20, 2023
Lebanese Forces head Samir Geagea discussed on Saturday the latest developments
in the presidential file with Deputy Speaker of Parliament Elias Bou Saab in
Maarrab in the presence of MP Melhem Riachy from the Strong Republic bloc. Bou
Saab described his second meeting with Geagea as positive, explaining that it
was part of a tour on political leaders to build bridges and promote
understanding and dialogue. "Today, we have made progress beyond the previous
stage, based on agreed-upon foundations. There are no longer any obstacles to
the next agreed-upon step with the political parties," he added. "I previously
met with Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri two days before my today's visit to
Maarrab, and we hope to continue these meetings in the coming days. I don't want
to go into details; although there is positivity, no one has a magical solution
regarding the election of a new president for the country. However, the positive
aspect is starting a dialogue based on the available data and discussing what is
possible and what is not," he explained. Bou Saab revealed that a third meeting
would be scheduled later. The deputy speaker also emphasized that "building
bridges includes all political adversaries, political blocs, and parliamentary
blocs," noting that it is not likely to nominate or promote any name for the
presidency. "I believe colleagues are working to unify
efforts and select a specific candidate while I am working on the alternative
plan, meaning if the parties do not agree on a candidate, do we surrender?" he
added.
"We are thinking together, and the dialogue revolved with Speaker Berri, the
Lebanese Forces, Free Patriotic Movement leader Gebran Bassil, Marada Movement
leader Sleiman Frangieh, Hezbollah, the Kataeb Party, the Change MPs, Michel
Moawad, and all political parties, regarding the roadmap that must be followed.
Whoever wants to move forward must do so step by step," Bou Saab stressed. He
confirmed that discussions examining the "steps that precede the names
deliberations," and therefore, he did not put forward any name." In response to
a question, he mentioned that "Speaker Berri called for 11 sessions, and if any
team guaranteed the arrival of its candidate, he would have called for more
sessions. But the sessions have become folklore, and when a new proposal is
made, the Speaker of Parliament will undoubtedly call for a new election
session."
Prescription plight: Soaring prices, illicit trade, and unapproved medications
in
LBCI/May 20, 2023
The increase in drug prices in Lebanon has led to their un-affordability or
disappearance from the market. The prices of some medications have surpassed the
purchasing power of citizens, and large smuggling groups are taking advantage of
the weak state, citizens' poverty, and the urgent need for alternative
medication. Quantities of unregistered drugs are flooding the local markets that
originate from Syria, Iran, Turkey, and India. Syrian
drugs are the most widespread in Lebanese pharmacies as they are locally
manufactured after importing raw materials. Its price is high for Syrian
citizens but cheap for the Lebanese people. The head of the Pharmacists
Syndicate, Joe Salloum, told LBCI in this regard that "these drugs are
prohibited from being sold in Lebanese pharmacies as they are unlicensed and not
monitored by a legitimate pharmacist."He also noted that it is forbidden to
import any unregistered drugs by the Ministry." "Some of these medications are
counterfeit, and international reports have highlighted their risks, and the
Pharmacists Syndicate has launched a campaign in this regard," he concluded by
saying.
Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports
And News published
on May 20-21/2023
Arab League
Jeddah summit’s final declaration emphasizes unity of stance on issues of
security and stability
Arab News/May 20, 2023
JEDDAH: Arab League member states met on Friday in the Saudi coastal city of
Jeddah for a historic summit in which, for the first time in more than a decade,
representatives of all 22 nations took part. During the summit on Friday, the
organization’s 32nd, members adopted the Jeddah Declaration, which reaffirmed
the Arab League’s united stance on achieving security and stability across the
Arab world and beyond. This was only the second summit, following a gathering in
Algeria last November, to take place following a three-year hiatus as a result
of the COVID-19 pandemic. It covered a number of topics, including tensions
between Israel and Palestine, the conflict in Sudan, the peace process in Yemen,
instability in Libya, and Lebanon’s political situation. Significantly, this was
the first time Syria had been invited to participate in an Arab League Summit
since its suspension from the organization in 2011. The summit’s final
communique reaffirmed “the centrality of the Palestinian cause” to Arab
countries and as one of the main factors for stability in the region. It
condemned all practices and violations inflicted upon the Palestinians, their
lives, properties and existence.
The communique also stressed the importance of intensifying efforts to achieve a
comprehensive and just settlement of the Palestinian issue based on a two-state
solution, as per UN Security Council Resolution 242 and the 2002 Arab Peace
Initiative, to ensure the establishment of an independent Palestinian state
based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Furthermore, it
reiterated previous summit positions, including the need the need for protection
of Muslim sites in Jerusalem. The crown prince emphasized that the Palestinian
cause was, and still is, the pivotal issue for all Arabs. (SPA)
The conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians has escalated since Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned to power late last year at the helm of a
coalition government that includes far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties.
Violence has flared in the West Bank, where the Israeli army has staged repeated
raids against militants that have often flared into street clashes or gun
battles. Gaza also saw five days of cross-border fire between Israel and
militant groups this month that killed 33 Palestinians and two people in Israel
— the worst violence since a three-day escalation in August last year killed 49
Palestinians. Israel, meanwhile, has been shaken by its biggest domestic
political crisis in decades, as sustained mass protests have broken out against
plans to reform the justice system, spearheaded by Netanyahu who continues to
battle corruption charges in court. On the issue of the conflict in Sudan,
meanwhile, where clashes broke out on April 15 between the army and paramilitary
group the Rapid Support Forces, the communique called on the warring parties to
return to the negotiating table and for civilians to be protected. It rejected
“foreign interference that could ignite the conflict and threaten regional
security and stability,” while commending the critical steps taken during the
Jeddah meetings that began on May 6 to continue talks and end the crisis. About
1,000 people have been killed so far during the conflict, mainly in and around
the capital Khartoum and in the long-troubled western region of Darfur. More
than 5,000 people have been injured. The crisis has sparked a massive
displacement crisis, with more than 840,000 people displaced inside Sudan and at
least 220,000 crossing borders into other countries, according to the UN. The UN
Refugee Agency, UNHCR, has said 25 million people — more than half the
population of Sudan — are in need of humanitarian aid and protection.
Iran says it executes
leader of women trafficking network
Reuters/May 20, 2023
DUBAI: Iran’s judiciary said on Saturday that it had executed the head of a
network that trafficked Iranian women to neighboring countries for prostitution.
It said Shahrooz Sokhanvari, a man known as “Alex”, was the leader of an “escort
and trafficking network of Iranian women and girls to some countries in the
region”, the judiciary’s Mizan news agency reported. It said Sokhanvari was
executed on Saturday morning “for the crime of human trafficking for the purpose
of prostitution”. Iranian media reported in 2020 that “Alex” had been detained
in Malaysia in coordination with Interpol and brought to Iran. He was sentenced
to death in September 2021 on charges of “corruption on earth”, a term Iranian
authorities use to refer to a broad range of offenses, including those related
to morals. The activist HRANA news agency said several women had also been
arrested in the same case and faced serious charges. Recorded executions in Iran
soared from 314 in 2021 to 576 in 2022, the second-highest in the world after
China, Amnesty International said in a report this week. Two women were
sentenced to death two years ago on charges of “corruption on earth” and human
trafficking. However, advocates said those women were innocent LGBT rights
activists. Former US President Donald Trump’s administration in 2017 added Iran
to a US list of countries accused of failing to crack down on human trafficking.
Two years later, the US State Department again designated Iran as a so-called
Tier 3 country, the report’s ranking for countries that do the least to tackle
the crime. Under the US Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, the United
States does not provide non-humanitarian, non-trade-related foreign assistance
to any country that does not comply with minimum standards for eliminating
trafficking and is not making efforts to do so. “The Government of Iran does not
fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not
making significant efforts to do so,” the State Department said in its 2019
report.
G7 slams China
'militarization' in Asia-Pacific, urges it to 'press Russia'
Agence France Presse/May
20, 2023
G7 leaders on Saturday warned China over its "militarization activities" in the
Asia-Pacific region but said the bloc also wanted "constructive and stable
relations" with Beijing. In a final communique issued at a summit in Hiroshima,
the nations laid out a raft of concerns about China's economic and military
activities. But they also sought to keep the door open to cooperation and avoid
further inflaming tensions between the world's second largest economy and the
grouping of major Western powers plus Japan.
"We stand prepared to build constructive and stable relations
with China, recognising the importance of engaging candidly with and expressing
our concerns directly to China," the group said. "Our policy approaches are not
designed to harm China nor do we seek to thwart China's economic progress and
development," the statement continued, adding that the G7 countries are not
"decoupling or turning inwards." Still, the language made clear the bloc's
wide-ranging concerns about Beijing's willingness to deploy trade measures in
diplomatic disputes and G7 determination to untangle sensitive supply chains
from Chinese influence. "Economic resilience requires de-risking and
diversifying," the communique said, pledging to "reduce excessive dependencies
in our critical supply chains." The bloc warned against China's "militarisation"
in the South China Sea and repeated that "peace and stability" in the Taiwan
Strait is "indispensable" to global security. And it urged China to use its
influence with Russia "to stop its military aggression, and immediately,
completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine."
G7 Aligns on Shared
‘De-risk, Not Decouple’ Approach to China
Reuters/May 20, 2023.
The Group of Seven (G7) rich nations, concerned by tensions with Beijing, on
Saturday outlined a shared approach towards China, looking to "de-risk, not
decouple" economic engagement with a country regarded as the factory of the
world. The heads of the world's leading democracies meeting in the Japanese city
of Hiroshima said they were prepared to build "constructive and stable"
relations with Beijing while reducing their dependence on trade with the world's
second largest economy. "Our policy approaches are not designed to harm China,
we do not seek to thwart China's economic progress and development," they said
in a communique issued on the second day of the three day summit. "We are not
decoupling or turning inwards. At the same time, we recognize that economic
resilience requires de-risking and diversifying." The leaders noted that
cooperation with China was necessary given its role in the international
community and size of its economy, as well as areas of common interest such as
climate and conservation efforts. But they said they would take steps to protect
sensitive technology that could threaten national security, without unduly
limiting trade and investment. "We act in our national interest," the communique
said. The communique also reaffirmed the importance of peace and stability
across the Taiwan Strait as indispensable to security and prosperity in the
international community. Briefing reporters earlier, White House national
security adviser Jake Sullivan said nothing in the G7 statement should come as a
surprise to China, given that the concerns of G7 members were "well known" to
Beijing. "I think you will find the China language to be totally
straightforward. It is not hostile or gratuitous. It is just direct and candid,"
he said, adding that the statement emerged after intensive consultations with G7
partners in recent years. Sullivan said the United States expected economic
engagement to continue with China, but was still working through the timing
regarding planned phone calls, visits and meetings for various administration
officials with their Chinese counterparts. Each country would determine its own
approach, he said. The United States had been working to develop the legal
authorities for a targeted set of outbound investment controls and would lay out
its approach after "full consultations" with G7 partners, Sullivan said.
EU includes 90 companies
around the world in 11th sanctions package against Russia
NNA/May 20, 2023.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the 11th EU
sanctions package against Russia will include more than 90 companies around the
world, according to "Russia Today" news agency. Von der Leyen spoke about "the
existence of evidence proving that these companies have circumvented the
sanctions imposed against Russia," noting that "8 of them are registered in
China." Today, Saturday, in an interview with ZDF channel, she said: “We are
serious about stopping the circumvention of sanctions, and more than 90
companies around the world, including 8 companies registered in China, will be
included in the list of 11 sanctions against Russia, after we obtained evidence
proving that they circumvented the sanctions and handed over sanctioned goods
from the European Union to Russia via third countries."She explained that "the 8
Chinese companies are registered on paper as Chinese companies, but their owners
are foreigners, and the same applies to the 90 companies," stressing that "the
European Union will not tolerate any circumvention of sanctions, and sanctions
will be imposed on these companies."
Ukrainian army spokesman
denies that Russian forces have taken control of Bakhmut, confirms that fighting
is still going on
NNA/May 20, 2023.
The spokesman for the Ukrainian army in eastern operations, Serhiy Cherifati,
denied that the Russian forces had taken control of Bakhmut, saying: "The
fighting is still going on and its center is in Bakhmut."He pointed out that "Bakhmut
remains the main target approved by the Russian side and the (Wagner) group.
They bring in airborne units and motorized rifle units, as well as some special
units."According to Cherifati, the Russian forces lost 92 soldiers and 156 were
wounded in Bakhmut in one day, according to "Sky News".
Russia’s Lavrov Says G7 Is Bent on ‘Double Containment’ of Russia and China
Agencies/May 20, 2023.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that decisions taken by
the Group of Seven countries at their summit in Japan were aimed at the "double
containment" of Russia and China. Addressing a televised conference, Lavrov
reiterated Russia's claim that the West is using Ukraine as tool to inflict a
strategic defeat on Russia. The United States and its allies reject that
narrative, saying they are helping Kyiv defend itself against an illegal war.
"The task was set loudly and openly - to defeat Russia on the battlefield, but
not to stop there, but to eliminate it as a geopolitical competitor," Lavrov
said. "Look at the decisions that are being discussed and adopted today in
Hiroshima at G7 summit of the Seven, and which are aimed at the double
containment of Russia and China." In a statement earlier, the G7 agreed to
tighten sanctions against Moscow and pare back exposure to China. They also
urged China to press Russia to halt its military aggression and immediately
withdraw its forces from Ukraine. Lavrov said the West was putting pressure on
countries to cut trade and economic ties with Russia, but Moscow had support
from a lot of allies.
US helping Kyiv get F-16s
shows that for military aid, 'no' can become 'yes'
Associated Press./May 20, 2023
The U.S. has once again buckled under pressure from European allies and
Ukraine's leaders and agreed to provide more sophisticated weapons to the war
effort. This time it's all about F-16 fighter jets.Ukraine has long begged for
the sophisticated fighter to give it a combat edge as it battles Russia's
invasion, now in its second year. And this new plan opens the door for several
nations to supply the fourth-generation aircraft and for the U.S. to help train
the pilots. President Joe Biden laid out the agreement to world leaders meeting
in Hiroshima, Japan, on Friday, according to U.S. officials. So far, however,
the U.S. has provided no details and said decisions on when, how many, and who
will supply the F-16s will be made in the months ahead while the training is
underway. Details on the training are equally elusive. U.S. officials spoke on
condition of anonymity to discuss decisions not yet made public. Still, with
this decision, the Biden administration has made a sharp reversal, after
refusing to approve any transfer of the aircraft or conduct training for more
than a year due to worries that it could escalate tensions with Russia. U.S.
officials also have argued against the F-16 by saying that learning to fly and
logistically support such an advanced aircraft would be difficult and take
months. Here is a look at the fighters, why the U.S. has been reluctant to
provide them to Ukraine and what is known and not known yet about the decision.
WHY DOES UKRAINE WANT F-16 FIGHTER JETS?
Ukraine has pressed for Western jets since the very earliest stages of the war,
insisting that the sophisticated aircraft would give them a leg up in the war
and allow them to strike Russian forces. Nearly a year ago, two Ukrainian
fighter pilots who asked to be identified by their callsigns "Moonfish" and
"Juice" met with reporters in Washington to argue for getting the F-16 Fighting
Falcons, which have more advanced radars, sensors and missile capabilities.
In February, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov held
up a picture of a warplane when he was asked in Brussels what military aid his
country needed. And earlier this month Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
said during a visit to Germany that he was pushing for allies to forge a
"fighter jet coalition" that would provide Ukraine with the combat planes it
needs to counter Russia's air dominance. Ukraine's leaders have argued that the
F-16 is far superior to their existing fleet of Soviet-era warplanes. In
response to those pleas, the U.S. has found ways to deliver some of the advanced
capabilities without providing the actual jets. For example, Air Force engineers
found ways to modify the HARM air-to-surface anti-radiation missile so that it
could be carried and fired by Ukrainian-flown MiGs. The missile and its
targeting system enable the jet to identify enemy ground radars and destroy
them.
WHY HAS THE U.S. BALKED?
Repeatedly for months senior U.S. officials — from Biden on down — had flatly
rejected sending F-16s to Ukraine, when asked publicly. And the U.S. had so far
declined to allow other countries to export their U.S.-made Falcons to Ukraine.
As recently as Monday, after Zelenskyy reiterated his desire for F-16s and other
jets, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby was asked if the U.S. had
in any way changed its position on F-16s not being the right focus for military
aid. Kirby said, "No." Asked similar questions in recent months, Biden also
declined to approve the F-16s. In one instance earlier this year he was asked
why he opposed sending them, and he responded, "Because we should keep them
here." U.S. officials at the Pentagon have insisted that the military aid the
U.S. was providing to Ukraine was based on what the country needed most to fight
the war. So the emphasis has been on sending air defense systems and millions of
rounds of rockets, missiles and other ammunition — as Ukraine prepares for a
much expected spring offensive. The other key reason, however, is the ongoing
concern that sending fighter jets to Ukraine would enrage the Russians, provoke
President Vladimir Putin and possibly escalate or broaden the war.
WELL, ON SECOND THOUGHT ....
Despite all the concerns, the U.S. has proven again and again during the war
that it can change its mind. Early on the U.S. balked at sending Patriot missile
batteries, longer-range missiles or tanks. And in each case, it eventually
succumbed to pressure from allies and agreed to send the increasingly advanced
weapons. Of note was the recent turnabout on M1A1 Abrams tanks. For months the
U.S. had said the Abrams was too complicated and required too much logistical
support for Ukrainian troops. Under escalating pressure from European nations
that wanted to send Ukraine their own tanks, the U.S. finally agreed to send 31
Abrams to Ukraine. Training is expected to begin soon. The F-16 approval has
been a long, slow slog. Despite public insistence — for months — that there was
no movement on the F-16s, the Pentagon in March brought two Ukrainian Air Force
pilots to the Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, Arizona, to familiarize
them with the F-16 and learn how pilots are trained. U.S. officials refused to
discuss the event publicly, but privately they said the two pilots flew F-16
simulators and got a feel for the training. The U.S. Air Force, meanwhile, got
insight into how long it would take for an experienced Ukrainian fighter pilot
to learn the F-16's more advanced systems. Officials determined that
realistically it could be done in about four months, if the pilots were already
trained to fly their own Soviet-era fighters.
WHAT WE STILL DON'T KNOW
According to U.S. officials, Biden told leaders in Japan that the U.S. will
participate in the F-16 training, and that decisions on providing the jets will
come later. Officials said it's still not clear if the U.S. will simply allow
other nations to send F-16s to Ukraine, or if the U.S. will also send some. And
there are no estimates on how many of the jets will be provided or when.
Officials acknowledge that it will not be in time for the anticipated spring
offensive. And while officials said the training will begin soon, it isn't yet
clear where it will be, how many pilots will be trained and how long it will
take. The U.S. Air Force has two F-16 air wings in Europe: the 31st Fighter Wing
at the Aviano Air Base in Italy and the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air
Base in Germany. The U.S. also routinely sends F-16 fighters in and out of
Europe on a rotational basis in smaller groups.
With Zelensky invite, KSA seeks star turn on world stage
Agence France Presse./May
20, 2023
One man is revered in Western capitals for standing up to Russia's full-scale
invasion of his country. The other is widely reviled for atrocities committed
against his own people in a war that has made him dependent on Moscow.
At the Arab League summit on Friday, host Saudi Arabia brought Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, to the
same conference hall on the Red Sea coast –- a potent sign of the kingdom's
global diplomatic ambitions. Analysts say the improbable gathering in Jeddah
seemed designed to highlight the clout of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman,
who less than five years ago was himself in the international doghouse over the
slaying of Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi. "A major objective of the Saudi
leadership is to portray the crown prince as an essential figure in the evolving
geopolitical landscape," said Kristian Ulrichsen, a research fellow at the Baker
Institute at Rice University. The war in Ukraine has "definitively ended" Prince
Mohammed's post-Khashoggi isolation, he added, and the Saudis are now "seeking
to demonstrate that they can bridge gaps that others cannot hope to".
Though Friday's meetings did not result in any immediate
groundbreaking agreements, Riyadh can take credit for a smooth event in which
tensions stemming from the presence of both Assad and Zelensky were papered
over, at least for the day.
'Consensus' on Syria?
Assad's arrival on Saudi soil came after a long buildup: the two countries'
foreign ministers had exchanged visits in recent weeks and gone public with
plans to reopen diplomatic missions shuttered in 2012, when Riyadh broke off
ties as Syria's war escalated. The wider regional embrace goes back to at least
2018, when the United Arab Emirates restored ties with Damascus and led the
charge to rehabilitate Assad. Yet there remained concerns about how Assad would
be received on Friday, given reservations from some Arab leaders about welcoming
him back into the fold. "It's all about Bashar al-Assad," Middle East expert
Hussein Ibish said as the meetings got underway. "If he is cooperative and
doesn't rub their faces in it, then the inevitable -- no matter how distasteful
-- readmittance of his victorious regime will proceed 'normally'."In the end,
Assad lavished praise on Prince Mohammed, the de facto leader of a country that
once accused him of running a "killing machine".
And while he argued against "external interference" in member countries'
affairs, Assad did not antagonise the Arab League, a bloc that once allowed
Syria's opposition to assume his country's official seat. Syrian state media
said Assad even chatted and shook hands with the emir of Qatar, a fierce critic
of Assad whose government has called for accountability for "war crimes" in
Syria. These gestures, though, do not mean the Syria debate is resolved,
especially if Assad's reintegration does not address issues related to Syrian
refugees and the captagon trade. "Bringing Assad back into the Arab fold has
produced disagreements, most notably with Qatar," said Kristin Diwan of the Arab
Gulf States Institute in Washington."Yet Saudi Arabia will relish taking the
lead and imposing an Arab consensus."
'Global player'
Zelensky's appearance in Jeddah was more openly confrontational, with the
Ukrainian leader accusing some Arab heads of state of turning a "blind eye" to
his country's suffering at the hands of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Zelensky's presence spoiled Assad's joy at the summit,
because he reminded the attendees of Russia's crimes in Ukraine," said Rabha
Saif Allam, a specialist in Middle Eastern affairs at the Cairo Center for
Strategic Studies. At a press conference afterwards,
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said Riyadh's decision to invite
Zelensky reflected a desire to hear from "all parties and all voices". The
Syrians, at least, were entirely uninterested: the pro-government daily Al-Watan
reported that the Syrian delegation met Zelensky's "blind eye" remarks with a
deaf ear, declining to use headphones provided for simultaneous translation of
his speech. But that kind of response likely means
little to the Saudis, who may have been more concerned with dampening
perceptions that they are too close to Russia, a particular worry for
Washington. "Inviting Zelensky counters that impression and also puts Russia on
notice: rehabilitating Assad doesn't give you a free hand in the region," Diwan
said. This is consistent with Riyadh's image of itself as "a diplomatic and
potentially economic bridgehead between different global actors," said Umar
Karim, an expert on Saudi politics at the University of Birmingham. "Inviting
Zelensky shows Riyadh wants to be not just a regional but a global player," he
said, "and to carve out a special diplomatic niche for itself in an evolving
multipolar world order."
Spotlight on Zelensky: G7
Summit unites against Russia and grapples with China's influence
LBCI/May 20, 2023
Within forty-eight hours, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky steals the
spotlight twice. After attending the Arab League Summit in Jeddah, the Ukrainian
President is now at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, where it is expected to
discuss sanctions against Russia, with Zelensky closely listening.
Ironically, two events coincide: firstly, the leaders of the G7 countries
confirm their support for Kyiv's military needs in the current year's budget and
early 2024, and secondly, the United States offers Ukrainian pilots the
opportunity to train on US-made F-16 fighter jets, as reported by The New York
Times.
While Ukraine receives support, there is also a tendency toward imposing new
sanctions on Russia to deprive it of technologies and industrial equipment.
These measures include restrictions on exports of essential products to Russia,
which it uses in the war against Ukraine, and targeting entities accused of
transporting equipment to Moscow's combat fronts. During the ongoing summit
until Sunday, G7 leaders will seek to restrict diamond trade with Russia, as it
is the world's largest exporter in this regard. Regarding China, it seems that
the leaders of the G7 countries are trying to reach a unified stance that
opposes China's military activities in the Asia-Pacific region while maintaining
constructive and stable relations with Beijing. Some European countries,
especially France and Germany, insist on this approach. Will the G7 countries
succeed in establishing a common position on China despite differences in their
perspectives?
Ukraine's Zelenskiy courts
'Global South' at G7 summit
LBCI./May 20, 2023
Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy held talks with India's Narendra Modi on Saturday
and was due to meet other "Global South" leaders at a Group of Seven (G7) summit
aimed at broadening support for his country in its war against Russia. The
three-day G7 meeting in the Japanese city of Hiroshima has already agreed new
sanctions on Russia and measures to stand up to what it called China's economic
coercion, drawing the ire of Moscow and a complaint to the summit host Japan
from Beijing. Flown in from an Arab League summit on a French government jet,
Zelenskiy, wearing his customary olive green fatigues, was warmly greeted by G7
leaders and held talks with Modi as part of a series of meetings with
non-aligned countries in attendance. Modi's Twitter account posted a photo of
the two shaking hands, noting he had told Zelenskiy of India's readiness to
continue humanitarian help for the people of Ukraine and its backing for
"dialogue and diplomacy" to seek peace.
Russia's Prigozhin claims
capture of Bakhmut, Ukraine says fighting goes on
LBCI/May 20, 2023
Russian mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said on Saturday his Wagner fighters
had completed the capture of Bakhmut, but Ukraine rejected the claim and said
fighting was still going on. Prigozhin made the claim in which he appeared in
combat fatigues in front of a line of fighters holding Russian flags and Wagner
banners. "Today, at 12 noon, Bakhmut was completely taken," Prigozhin said. "We
completely took the whole city, from house to house." Ukrainian military
spokesperson Serhiy Cherevatyi told Reuters: "This is not true. Our units are
fighting in Bakhmut."Bakhmut has been the focus of the longest and bloodiest
battle of Russia's war in Ukraine, which is nearly at the end of its 15th month.
Distant explosions could be heard in the background as Prigozhin spoke during
the video, in which he said his forces would withdraw from Bakhmut from May 25
for rest and retraining, handing over control to the regular Russian army.
Zelenskiy’s Surprise G-7 Stop Unnerves Critical Brazilian
Leader
Bloomberg/Sat, May 20, 2023
The unannounced attendance of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the G-7
summit has unnerved the Brazilian delegation, which now feels pressure to accept
an invitation for a face-to-face meeting with President Luiz Inacio Lula da
Silva, according to Brazilian officials.
Lula, who is also attending the Group of Seven summit in Japan as an invited
guest, is still on the fence about a meeting with Zelenskiy, said the officials,
who asked not to be identified discussing private information.
As opposed to G-7 countries, Brazil has taken a more neutral stance on the war
in Ukraine, arguing at times that Zelenskiy, the US and European countries
shared blame for Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s invasion. Lula has softened his
stance in recent weeks, however, toning down some comments and dispatching a top
aide to Kyiv.In a meeting Saturday with Emmanuel Macron, the French president
urged Lula to sit down with Zelenskiy, according to people familiar with the
conversation. A spokesperson for Macron said the French leader discussed Ukraine
with Lula, but did not confirm if such a request was made. The Brazilian leader
only said in a tweet that Ukraine was discussed. Zelenskiy arrived in Hiroshima
on Saturday afternoon on a French government airplane, a trip that was kept
under wraps until a day earlier. Some in the Brazilian delegation said the
presence of the Ukrainian leader was a “trap” to force a meeting, while others
complained they only learned about the visit when Lula was already in Japan, the
officials said. Many in the Brazilian delegation were nervous that Zelenskiy
would be included in the so-called family photo of summit leaders on Saturday,
the officials said, and felt relief when he didn’t show up. Japan had said
earlier there would be no press availability for Zelenskiy. Lula’s press office
denied repeated requests to confirm whether the Brazilian leader would meet
Zelenskiy. The Brazilian officials said it was still possible a meeting between
the leaders could take place on Sunday, the final day of the summit. Last month,
Lula traveled to China to discuss President Xi Jinping’s cease-fire proposal,
which would effectively freeze Russian troops in place. Zelenskiy has rejected
any framework that doesn’t involve the completely withdrawal of Russian forces,
a position also repeated by G-7 leaders at the summit in Japan. While in
Beijing, Lula called on BRICS nations — also including Russia, India, China and
South Africa — to come up with an alternative to the dollar in foreign trade.
And he accused the US of helping to stoke the war in Ukraine. “It’s important
that the US stops encouraging war and starts talking about peace,” Lula told
reporters last month during his trip to China. Just days later, he then hosted
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Brazil. A senior official from a
European G-7 country earlier said Zelenskiy’s presence provided a great
opportunity to engage in person with leaders like Lula and Indian Prime Minister
Narendra Modi, who met the Ukrainian president for the first time on Saturday.
India has been one of the prime buyers of Russian oil and weapons, providing
hard currency to Putin’s government at a time when the G-7 is seeking to starve
it of funds.
Exploding underwater drone set to be unleashed against
Russian Navy
James Kilner/The Telegraph/May 20, 2023
Ukraine will soon unleash a stealthy exploding robotic submarine against the
Russian Navy. The Toloka TLK-150 is the first underwater drone to be designed
and built entirely in Ukraine and is the product of a new military-civilian
partnership called Brave1. Brave1 was tight-lipped when asked by The Telegraph
about the capabilities of its new weapon but naval analysts said that it
represents a major technological upgrade for Ukraine. “Russia has a new problem
in the Black Sea,” said HI Sutton, a naval analyst, who described the Toloka
TLK-150 as a “loitering torpedo”.
“This is a natural evolution of Ukraine’s maritime drones.”Toloka is a word used
in Russian and Ukrainian to describe a spontaneous community project designed to
promote the common good, the sort of spirit that Ukraine has been tapping into
to defend against the Kremlin’s invading armies. Unlike the unmanned surface
vehicles that Ukraine has previously used to harass the Black Sea Fleet in
Crimea, the Toloka TLK-150 glides along under the surface of the water, making
it harder to spot and intercept.
At just over 8ft long, it is shaped like a torpedo – sleek and slim, with a tall
navigator’s periscope, a large keel and two electronic thrusters attached to a
pair of stabilisers. It also carries an explosive payload, details of which have
not been revealed. Mr Sutton said that Ukraine was now at the cutting edge of
naval drone development and that, although the Toloka TLK-150 may have a shorter
range and be slower than surface maritime drones, it could still give Ukraine’s
navy the edge over Russia.
“Being an underwater vehicle it is less prone to detection and harder to
neutralise with gunfire,” he said. “Its warhead is also impacting below the
waterline so may be more likely to sink its target.”
Brave1 has not said when the Toloka TLK-150 will enter service but it is
expected to be within the next few weeks or months.
Brave1 has plans to develop two more Toloka-class submarine drones, up to five
times larger, if the Toloka TLK-150 proves a success. Reports have said that
Britain has given Ukraine six submarine drones for mine clearance but not for
attacking Russian warships and submarines in port.
A reputation for innovation
The Ukrainian military has earned a reputation for innovation, particularly in
the use of drones on the battlefield.
Not only has Ukraine been supplied with increasingly sophisticated Western
technology, like Britain’s Storm Shadow cruise missiles, but it has also been
deploying and developing homemade weapons and drones.
The Russian Navy was expected to dominate the Black Sea virtually unopposed but
the Ukrainian military has sunk the flagship of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet with a
domestically produced missile.
Ukrainian drone attacks on warships at anchor in occupied Crimea have forced
some of the fleet to pull back to Novorossiysk, which is 210 miles away on the
coast of mainland Russia.
Constant threat from drones
Samuel Bendett, an expert on drones at the Center for Naval Analysis in the US,
said that the constant threat from drones is already forcing Russian commanders
to commit vital resources to guard their fleet, even before the Toloka TLK-150
submarine drone is launched.
“Russia claims to have a multilayered drone defence in Crimea, with nets, buoys,
planes, helicopters, ship-based and shore-based batteries,” he said. “This is a
lot of resources dedicated to catching a small and relatively inexpensive
surface vessel.”
Russian forces have also used drones extensively on battlefields across Ukraine,
including the Iranian kamikaze drones used to attack cities, but they have been
far slower at deploying naval drones, although a Russian maritime drone did hit
a railway bridge linking Odesa to Romania in February.
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Airstrikes hit Khartoum’s outskirts as Sudan’s war enters sixth week
Reuters/May 20, 2023
CAIRO/DUBAI: Airstrikes hit outer areas of the Sudanese capital Khartoum
overnight and on Saturday morning, as fighting that has trapped civilians in a
humanitarian crisis and displaced more than a million entered its sixth week.
The fighting between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has
led to a collapse in law and order with looting that both sides blame the other
for. Stocks of food, cash, and essentials are rapidly dwindling. Airstrikes were
reported by eyewitnesses in southern Omdurman and northern Bahri, the two cities
that lie across the Nile from Khartoum, forming Sudan’s “triple capital.” Some
of the strikes took place near the state broadcaster in Omdurman, the
eyewitnesses said. Eyewitnesses in Khartoum said that the situation was
relatively calm, although sporadic gunshots could be heard. The conflict, which
began on April 15, has displaced almost 1.1 million people internally and into
neighboring countries. Some 705 people have been killed and at least 5,287
injured, according to the World Health Organization. Talks sponsored by the
United States and Saudi Arabia in Jeddah have not been fruitful, and the two
sides have accused each other of violating multiple cease-fire agreements. “We
faced heavy artillery fire early this morning, the whole house was shaking,”
Sanaa Hassan, a 33-year-old living in the Al-Salha neighborhood of Omdurman,
told Reuters by phone. “It was terrifying, everyone was lying under their beds.
What’s happening is a nightmare,” she said. The RSF is embedded in residential
districts, drawing almost continual airstrikes by the regular armed forces. In
recent days ground fighting has flared once again in the Darfur region, in the
cities of Nyala and Zalenjei. Both sides blamed each other in statements late on
Friday for sparking the fighting in Nyala, one of the country’s largest cities,
which had for weeks been relatively calm due to a locally-brokered truce. A
local activist said there were sporadic gun clashes near the city’s main market
close to army headquarters on Saturday morning. Almost 30 people have died in
the two previous days of fighting, according to activists. The war broke out in
Khartoum after disputes over plans for the RSF to be integrated into the army
and over the future chain of command under an internationally backed deal to
shift Sudan toward democracy following decades of conflict-ridden autocracy. The
US Agency for International Development announced late on Friday more than $100
million to Sudan and countries receiving fleeing Sudanese, including much-needed
food and medical aid. “It’s hard to convey the extent of the suffering occurring
right now in Sudan,” said agency head Samantha Power.
The Latest LCCC English analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on May 20-21/2023
سياسة إدارة الرئيس بايدن هي تسليح النظام الإيراني بقنابل نووية غير محدودة
ماجد رفي زاده/معهد جيتستون/ 20 نيسان 2023
The Biden Administration’s Legacy: Iranian Regime Armed with Unlimited Nuclear
Bombs
Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute./May 20, 2023
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/archives/118389/118389/
At present, the ruling mullahs of Iran reportedly have enough enriched uranium
to produce five nuclear bombs.
General Hossein Salami, the chief of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)
has made the Iranian regime’s plans vehemently clear: “Our strategy is to erase
Israel from the global political map,” he stated on Iran’s state-controlled
Channel 2 TV in 2019. Khamenei has also published a 416-page guidebook, titled
Palestine about destroying Israel — which Iran’s former “moderate” President
Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, basically referred to as a one-bomb country.
“Iran is 50 North Koreas; it is not merely a neighborhood bully like the dynasty
that rules North Korea… This is an ideological force that views us, Israel, as a
small satan, and views you as the great satan — and to have Iran being able to
threaten every city in the United States with nuclear blackmail is a changing of
history.” — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, timesofisrael.com, May 4,
2023.
Finally, there is always the danger of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of
Iran’s proxy and militia groups, or that the Iranian regime will share its
nuclear technology with its allies, such as the Syrian regime or the Taliban in
Afghanistan – or sell it to anyone with the funds or political leverage to buy
it.
How many nuclear weapons will the Iranian regime — called by the US Department
of State a “top sponsor of state terrorism” — obtain before the Biden
Administration’s term ends?
In the two years since the Biden administration assumed office, Iran’s ruling
mullahs have been rapidly and defiantly advancing their nuclear weapons program
to levels never before seen. (Image source: iStock)
The Biden Administration has been the biggest gift to the ruling mullahs of Iran
as their Islamist regime has been freely and rapidly advancing its nuclear
program to unprecedented levels during President Joe Biden’s term.
In March 2023, Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Colin Kahl told the House
Armed Services Committee that Iran’s nuclear program had made “remarkable”
progress and that it would take Iran 12 days to build a nuclear bomb. Ever since
the Biden Administration assumed office, the Iranian regime has been
accelerating its enrichment of uranium to “near weapons grade” and declining to
cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). As the IAEA
pointed out:
“Since 23 February 2021 the Agency’s verification and monitoring activities have
been seriously undermined as a result of Iran’s decision to stop the
implementation of its nuclear-related commitments.”
At present, the ruling mullahs of Iran reportedly have enough enriched uranium
to produce five nuclear bombs. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told his
Greek counterpart Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos during a visit to Athens on May 4,
2023:
“Make no mistake — Iran will not be satisfied by a single nuclear bomb. So far,
Iran has gained material enriched to 20% and 60% for five nuclear bombs… Iranian
progress, and enrichment to 90%, would be a grave mistake on Iran’s part, and
could ignite the region.”
The Biden Administration appears to ignore and completely underestimate threats
of a nuclear-armed Iran. First, its theocratic leaders have frequently
threatened to wipe a whole country — Israel — off the map. A core pillar of the
Islamic Republic has been to destroy the Jewish state. It is also one of the
religious prophecies of the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah
Ruhollah Khomeini, as well as his successor, the current Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that Israel will be eventually erased from the face of
the earth. General Hossein Salami, the chief of Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps (IRGC) has made the Iranian regime’s plans vehemently clear: “Our strategy
is to erase Israel from the global political map,” he stated on Iran’s
state-controlled Channel 2 TV in 2019. Khamenei has also published a 416-page
guidebook, titled Palestine about destroying Israel — which Iran’s former
“moderate” President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, basically referred to as a
one-bomb country.
In short, a nuclear armed Iran is much more dangerous than North Korea. As
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed out:
“Iran is 50 North Koreas; it is not merely a neighborhood bully like the dynasty
that rules North Korea… This is an ideological force that views us, Israel, as a
small satan, and views you as the great satan — and to have Iran being able to
threaten every city in the United States with nuclear blackmail is a changing of
history.”
Indeed, the Islamist regime of Iran is anchored in prioritizing the pursuit of
its revolutionary ideals, which include exporting its Islamist system of
governance to other countries around the world. The mullahs, in fact,
incorporated this critical mission into Iran’s constitution. The preamble
stipulates:
“The mission of the constitution is to create conditions conducive to the
development of man in accordance with the noble and universal values of [Shiite]
Islam.”
The constitution goes on to say that it “provides the necessary basis for
ensuring the continuation of the revolution at home and abroad.”
Finally, there is always the danger of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of
Iran’s proxy and militia groups, or that the Iranian regime will share its
nuclear technology with its allies, such as the Syrian regime or the Taliban in
Afghanistan – or sell it to anyone with the funds or political leverage to buy
it. The Iranian regime has already been setting up weapons factories abroad, and
manufacturing advanced ballistic missiles and weapons in foreign countries, such
as Syria. These weapons include precision-guided missiles with advanced
technology to strike specific targets.
In the two years since the Biden administration assumed office, Iran’s ruling
mullahs have been rapidly and defiantly advancing their nuclear weapons program
to levels never before seen, and now have the capability of building as many
nuclear bombs as they can. How many nuclear weapons will the Iranian regime —
called by the US Department of State a “top sponsor of state terrorism” — obtain
before the Biden Administration’s term ends?
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a business strategist and advisor, Harvard-educated
scholar, political scientist, board member of Harvard International Review, and
president of the International American Council on the Middle East. He has
authored several books on Islam and US Foreign Policy. He can be reached at
Dr.Rafizadeh@Post.Harvard.Edu
© 2023 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/19654/iran-nuclear-bombs
Arab League Jeddah summit can be the platform to resolve
many Arab crises
Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy/Arab News/May 20/2023
The agenda of Friday’s Arab League Summit is brimming with topics that will
differentiate it from past summits, especially in view of the ongoing shifts on
the Arab, Middle Eastern and even global stages. The most important sign of
difference is perhaps its location in Jeddah, which is a real embodiment of a
different situation on the political, economic and social levels in Saudi
Arabia, particularly the Jeddah area.
The first major topic to be covered is Syria’s return to the Arab League. Leaks
from behind the scenes of the summit indicate the serious desire of everyone for
Arab reunification. The term “resolving crises” has circulated widely, as well
as the formulation of a collective Arab vision taking into account the mistakes
of past years and the desire to find a way to redevelop the mechanisms of joint
Arab action in light of the regional and global challenges that have emerged.
The Syrian crisis is, without doubt, one of the crises that the Arabs want to
resolve. After a 12-year hiatus, Syria is returning to the Arab fold, as it will
be participating in the Jeddah summit with a high-level delegation. Syrian
Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad stated on his arrival at Jeddah International
Airport that Syria would “not look to the past, but rather to the future.”
Mekdad enumerated the challenges that, according to him, Arab leaders should
address and mobilize their forces to confront, including the Arab-Israeli
conflict and climate change.
Syria’s return represents a real test for the issue of the compatibility of the
Arab parties in the future, coming after the Arab reconciliation with Qatar and
the current political openness to all global and regional powers. Syria is
important to this harmony because it is a force to be reckoned with on the
political and civilizational levels.
Some talk about a conditional return of Damascus to the Arab fold, with it being
contingent on Bashar Assad’s regime meeting some of the demands hinted at in the
recent Arab League statement. These include the formation of a national
consensus government, the creation of a harmonious political climate that
reduces the opportunities for clashes with opposition forces, and a readiness to
cooperate in order to meet the demands of the Syrian people, which is the
concern of all Arabs.
The reconstruction of Syria may be one of the files that makes the Jeddah summit
completely different. It will be necessary to communicate with the international
parties to the conflict and apply pressure to start the reconstruction process,
as some Arab and international countries have many investment projects in this
framework. Similarly, we have to keep in mind the return of the Syrian refugees,
who are scattered around the world, to their country, which is in need of them
in this delicate period of their lives.
The Jeddah summit also comes at a time when the whole world is suffering from
severe economic crises due to the years of COVID-19 and the Russian-Ukrainian
war. This file requires work on several levels, including in the leaders’
summit, but it also deserves to be an ongoing topic in all Arab League meetings.
Leaks from behind the scenes of the summit indicate the serious desire of
everyone for Arab reunification. The reconstruction of Syria may be one of the
files that makes the Jeddah summit completely different
Economic topics rank high on the priority list, notably Lebanon’s unprecedented
economic and financial collapse. The summit will seek to address and assist
Lebanon’s recovery in all areas, especially after the agreement between Saudi
Arabia and Iran on the one hand and the return of Syria on the other.
The Arab leaders will also capitalize on the summit to reconsider the economic
systems implemented in the Arab world. They will aim to achieve sustainability
and economic balance between their own resources and their production and
service capabilities in terms of raw materials, markets and investments, using
advanced and diverse technological methods.
One of the outcomes of the summit that the Arab peoples aspire to and wait for
is the activation of the Arab Common Market, the Greater Arab Free Trade Area,
to unify customs tariffs, in addition to the digital economy and green economy.
Other coveted outcomes include the implementation of sustainable development
plans and the continuation of the process of economic and social development at
various levels, as well as Arab space cooperation, sustainable Arab agricultural
development, improving the production and preservation of natural resources,
sustaining Arab pastures and raising the rates and percentages of intra-Arab
trade. The current events in Sudan undoubtedly occupy
the minds of Arab leaders, just as they worry everybody with Arab blood running
through their veins. The Sudanese people themselves are the only losers in the
conflict between the army led by Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan and the Rapid Support
Forces led by Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo.The summit will definitely discuss this
conflict and I pray that the solution will be in Jeddah, in the land of the
Kingdom that has hosted talks between the representatives of the conflicting
parties. I imagine that the decision of the summit will be to urge all of the
conflicting parties on the Sudanese scene to remain calm and sit at the
negotiating table in order to defuse the crisis.
One of the most urgent issues that concerns Arabs in general — and which they
hope will be a key focus of the summit — is water resource management in the
region, as several countries suffer from water scarcity, particularly Egypt,
Syria, Iraq, Jordan and the occupied Palestinian territories. In the face of
this reality, the Arab countries are being called on to take a broader and
stronger stand, putting forward principles for Middle Eastern regional
cooperation that supports and does not detract from international rules.
Hence, the significant issue of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which
threatens water security in Egypt and Sudan, is a key concern. Egypt has
submitted a draft resolution to the Arab League to discuss and negotiate this
file with Ethiopia, while the latter rejects the intervention of the Arab
League, considering it an African affair and not an Arab one.
Finally, Palestine, which is in the heart of every Arab, will be present at the
summit. During this summit, the discussions pertaining to the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict will be different from previous summits, whose
positions were limited to condemning and demanding that Israel stop its
settlement projects.
The delegate of the state of Palestine to the Arab League, Muhannad Al-Aklouk,
has said that the Arab League will adopt a resolution legally defining the Nakba
for the first time, condemning those who deny it and making May 15 of each year
an Arab and international day to remember the Nakba.
Al-Aklouk said: “This is an important and historic achievement, as important as
the continuous efforts that were exerted during the few hours preceding the
summit to discuss the challenges of providing financial and material support to
the Palestinian people, through frameworks and projects that secure sustainable
support that is not subject to political blackmail, as well as providing the
political and legal support to the Palestinian people in international forums to
support the Palestinian cause at the highest levels.”
• Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy is a critically acclaimed multimedia journalist,
writer and columnist who has covered war zones and conflicts worldwide. Twitter:
@ALMenawy
Arab League unity brings hope for Syria’s regeneration
Dr. Bashayer Al-Majed/Arab News/May 20/2023
The 2023 Arab League Summit in Jeddah, which takes place on Friday, will involve
22 nations following the readmittance of Syria this month.
King Salman, the host of this year’s summit, offered Syria an invitation via
Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Jordan, since the Kingdom does not currently have
an ambassador seated in Syria. This turnaround stems from Saudi Arabia’s
improved relations with Iran, which has remained an ally of Syria while it was
boycotted by the Arab League and many other international players. The decision
to overturn Damascus’ suspension was taken by a unanimous vote at a meeting
attended by 13 member nations. Qatar, which still strongly opposes the Syrian
leadership, notably stayed away from the meeting. It emphasizes that it will not
stand in the way of reunification, but insists that Syria strongly tackle the
issues that led to the boycott.
This marks significant progress for Syria and is an important moment for the
Arab world. The global picture is a complicated one, with wars, conflicts and
uneasy peace in many lands, often exacerbated by high fuel costs and interest
rates, food shortages and many of the world’s nation’s being close to recession,
all on top of the increasing effects of climate change.
It was following the last global economic crisis that the so-called Arab Spring
uprisings occurred. And it was partially this that led to serious conflict on
the streets of Syria and the devastating civil war that followed, resulting in
the suspension of Syria from the Arab League in 2011. It is symbolic that Syria
has been welcomed back into the fold at this troubled time, hopefully to avoid
further tragedy.
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations are forecast to have promising financial
years ahead thanks to high oil prices and lucrative deals driven by Western
nations’ refusal to buy Russian oil. It is a good time to support our neighbors,
broker peace and help them heal following conflict.
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq will be part of a committee to
work with both the Syrian government and the people to address issues such as
poverty, the needs of refugees, combating the $10 billion trade in the illicit
drug Captagon, which is manufactured in Syria, and the reconstruction of
infrastructure following the recent earthquake and years of bomb damage. Part of
this is ensuring that all citizens receive equal aid and support, regardless of
what side of the conflict they were on.
It is symbolic that Syria has been welcomed back into the fold at this troubled
time, hopefully to avoid further tragedy
The Arab League can hopefully lead mediation discussions to successfully lift
the sanctions against Syria, so it can begin to rebuild and reconcile, allowing
its citizens to settle and come to terms with their loss and trauma. At the end
of the day, this should be about the people. More than half a million people
have died in the conflict and more than half of Syria’s population has been
displaced, either elsewhere in the country or outside of it.
With so much uncertainty in the world, it seems the right thing to do to welcome
Syria back into the Arab fold. The Arab League can use its strength to support
this damaged nation and allow its people some security and peace. Peace in any
country also brings greater stability for its neighbors; it is good for
everyone. We can only hope that this example will help
smooth the waters in other troubled relationships, such as between Saudi Arabia
and Iran. Discussions to improve the diplomatic ties between these two powers
are on the table as a result of the deal brokered by China. Any improvement in
this dynamic will bring strong benefits to other Arab League nations, such as
Yemen, Lebanon and Syria. Last month saw some conversations regarding a possible
peace deal held between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen. There seem to be
mixed messages over whether there will be discussions between Iran and Egypt,
but hopefully something will be inspired at the summit by these other positive
interactions.
Another big topic will be the effect of the violence in Sudan. As well as
causing poverty, security issues and food shortages in Sudan itself, this new
conflict has a huge impact on Egypt, with which the country shares a border, and
Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which rely on trade routes through the Bab Al-Mandab
Strait. The UAE recently funded two strategic ports in Sudan, at great financial
cost, indicating the strategic importance of Sudan’s geographic location. The
Arab League responded to a request from Egypt and Saudi Arabia to set up an
emergency meeting last month to respond to the violent clashes in Sudan. They
called for a ceasefire and peace negotiations between the opposing sides — the
Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Arab League
leaders have already started working to find a peaceful resolution and, in the
meantime, are discussing how to safely evacuate the Sudanese people out of
conflict areas. The discussions will no doubt continue. There needs to be a
strong focus on the needs of the Sudanese people, ensuring food security for
both Egypt and Sudan, as well as access through the Bab Al-Mandab Strait and
protecting the ordinary people from violence and looting, the latter of which
has included taking blood supplies from hospitals.
So, with the civil conflicts in the region, the tensions between Arab League
nations, relations with Russia, China and the West, and the Russia-Ukraine
conflict and the resultant international economic fallout (particularly the
grain supply to Yemen and Egypt), the Arab League has a lot to talk about. There
are bound to be some lively discussions. Let us hope they are able to resolve at
least some of these issues. However, once they are done, there are still the
issues of climate change and changing oil use, general economic issues and
terrorism to contend with. Peace will definitely help bring some trust and
stability to the region so that we can focus on other issues. Let us hope it
makes a difference.
• Dr. Bashayer Al-Majed is a professor of law at Kuwait University, and a
visiting fellow at Oxford. Twitter: @Bashayeralmajed
There should be zero tolerance for hostage takers
Alistair Burt/Arab News/May 20/2023
The Foreign Affairs Select Committee of the British House of Commons reported
last month on an inquiry it had undertaken on combating state hostage diplomacy.
Although based on the UK’s recent experiences in dealing with the seizure of its
citizens by Iran, the implications of the report go wider, and should provide
food for thought for other states who have their citizens caught up in
international detentions, as well as the wider world community which has some
responsibility to stop this practice.
A definition of hostage taking is supplied in the report as “any person who
seizes or detains, and threatens to kill, injure or continue to detain another
person in order to compel a third party, … to do or abstain from doing any act
as an explicit or implicit condition for their release.” It is difficult to
obtain actual numbers of those so targeted, as some are known, and others
unknown, as the states whose citizens they are, and the families of those
involved, work out the best way to respond to their detention publicly or
privately — the first cruel responsibility imposed upon them. What we do know is
that a variety of countries have been dealing with such seizures, a small number
of states are the perpetrators, and the numbers and risks are growing.
It made uncomfortable reading for the British government, and for me as a former
minister with personal knowledge of those detained during my time in office. We
did not always get things right. But the report is unequivocal that the
principal responsibility for such hostage taking and detentions lies squarely
with the state seizing the citizen, and with that state alone. They should never
be able to shift blame or make excuses for their actions.
The issue is rightly emotive. Away from the high-level state implications,
justifications, denials, and mutually hostile accusations, such seizures usually
involve the lives of citizens with little or no connection to the workings of
government in the states from where they come. For the time they are detained
those human lives are destroyed or damaged for no reason whatsoever to do with
them, as wicked a denial of the worth of human lives as may be imagined. They
rarely suffer simply on their own. Pulled into that web of despair are usually
family considerations, perhaps cynically calculated to add to the rationale for
seizing them in the first place and adding to supposed pressure to achieve a
political end.
No state guilty of such practices should be let near any formal position of
recognition and leadership of international or regional bodies.
The best known recent British case involved Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a young
mother separated from her child for six long years as an element in a
challenging relationship between the UK and Iran, and ultimately to secure the
payment of an historic debt legally owed by Britain to Iran since 1979. That the
debt should have been paid earlier but for sanctions and other complications
should have been irrelevant to the case of a woman wrongly and unfairly
detained. It is just this action in making an innocent mother pay the price of
other issues that states should be settling in other ways which should make
hostage taking an international pariah activity.
The report makes some domestic recommendations, though they would be good
practice anywhere. It recommends that the government ensure it communicates more
intensively with families than we did, which must be right. It also recommends
that having one senior figure responsible for all such detentions, to build up
expertise and experience, and also be internationally recognised, as with the US
President’s Special Envoy, might enhance the UK’s handling.
On the difficult issue of whether to make all such cases public, the report
comes down on the side of doing so, but I remain unsure of that. We had
instances of private negotiations being successful, and some families may prefer
it that way. But is a hard call.
That call might be made easier if a further recommendation were followed, which
is for greater and consistent international collaboration and condemnation of
such practices, thus making public awareness of them a real concern to the
perpetrators. This is essential. But I would go further. No state guilty of such
practices should be let near any formal position of recognition and leadership
of international or regional bodies, let alone UN Human Rights Committees. And
those working to improve relations with states guilty of such practices, which
may have ultimate benefit diplomatically, should make the ending of such
practices a bottom line to their new relationship.
The report’s conclusion that “state hostage taking is part of a wider erosion of
the rules based international order” is correct. Those who see that the
protection of their citizens is a first call in an ordered world should redouble
their efforts to protect them from this scourge.
• Alistair Burt is a former UK Member of Parliament who has twice held
ministerial positions in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office — as Parliamentary
Under Secretary of State from 2010 to 2013 and as Minister of State for the
Middle East from 2017 to 2019. Twitter: @AlistairBurtUK